Improvement in fire-arms



H. & C. DANIELS.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Feb. 15, 1838.

UNITED STATES ATENT FErcE,

HENRY DANIELS AND CHARLES DANIELS, OF CHESTER, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 610, dated February 15, 1838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY DANIELS and CHARLES DANIELS, ofChester, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have in vented a new and useful Mode of Constructing Fire-Arms, such as muskets, carbines, ritles, pistols, and other small-arms, whether discharged by means of percussion or flint locks; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, of such parts of a gun as it is requisite to show in order to explain the nature of our invention, like parts in each of the figures being designated by the same letters of reference.

In this fire-arm the charge is to be contained in a removable chamber, any number of which may be carried ready loaded, to be substituted for one which has been discharged, the upper part of the breech constituting a hinge-strap, which is to be raised for the purpose of making the exchange.

A A is the movable chamber, which is fitted into a receiver in the breech of the gun. It has on it a nipple, a, to receive a percussioncap, when such caps are used; or it may be furnished with a touch-hole and adapted to a pan for containing powder, as shown at b, Fig. 3, should a flint-gun be preferred.

B is a hinged strap forming the upper part of th breech of the fire-arm, and this, when raised, allows of the ready removal of the chamber AA and the substitution of another in its place.

C is a turn buckle or button which holds the strap down when in place; but a springcatch, slide, or other contrivance may be used for the same purpose. The front end of the chamber A is made conical and fits into a counter sink in the barrel, so that when forced forward the bore will coincide perfectly. Between the back end of the chamber and the stock of the gun there is a space, E, into which a wedge-piece is to fit, which wedgepiece is to force the chamber A forward and to hold it firmly in place at the time of dis charging the piece. This wedge-piece we sometimes allow to project from the inside of the strap 13, of which it then makes a component part, as represented by the dotted lines at d, and is so situated and formed as that when the strap is forced down it shall enter the space E and wedge the chamber A forward. The mode representedin the drawings we however prefer to that above described.

F is a lever which works on a pin on one side of the breech and carries the wedge-piece which is to force the chamber forward. when this lever is turned up, the chamber is liberated, and when it is turned down it wedges the chamber forward, the strap shutting down upon it and confining it in place.

We do not claim to be the inventors of a movable chamber to receiveand contain the charge, such chambers having been used by others; but

WVe do claim- The manner in which we have applied such a chamber by fitting it into a recess in the breech and confining it there by means of the hinged strap, constructed and operating in the manner described, adapting the same either to percussion or flint guns, and confining the chamber, as herein set forth.

HENRY DANIELS. [L.S.] CHARLES DANIELS. [L.S.]

WVitnesses:

THADDEUs BEACH, AMZI P. PLANT. 

